TELEVISION COVERAGE Baylor's matchup with UCLA will be televised nationally on ESPN marking the 17th consecutive national telecast for the Bears. Dating back to the beginning of the 2011 season, Thursday's game will be the 24th nationally televised contest in a span of 25 games for Baylor.

BOWL ELIGIBLE FOR THIRD STRAIGHT SEASON With its invitation to the Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl, Baylor earned a bowl bid in for the third straight season, for the first in school history. Baylor was twice previously eligible three straight years but not invited every season (1990-91-92; 1985-86-87). Baylor has reached the seven-win plateau in three straight seasons for the first time since 1949-50-51, when it won eight, seven and eight games, respectively.

BAYLOR BOWL HISTORY The 2012 Holidau Bowl will mark the 19th bowl appearance in Baylor football's 110-year history. Baylor is 9-9 all-time in its previous 18 bowl appearances. Baylor will be playing its first-ever bowl game in the state of California. Head Coach Art Briles will make his sixth bowl appearance as head coach; he was 0-3 in three bowl trips as Houston head coach and 1-1 as Baylor's head coach.

A BALANCED OFFENSIVE ATTACK Baylor's offense under Art Briles is not only high powered but consistently balanced. The BU attack has ranked in among the nation's top 25 in both rushing and passing over the last three years; including this season when the second-ranked offense currently ranks third in passing (353.2) and 19th in rushing (225.5). The Bears are currently one of four FBS teams to rank among in the top 20 nationally in both passing and rushing (along with Louisiana Tech, Oklahoma State and Texas A&M).

GROUND GAME STARTING TO ROLL After not rushing for more than 232 yards in the season's first five games, the Baylor rushing attack has ran for at least 250 yards in its last five games, including a season-high 342-yard and 5 TD performance vs. top-ranked Kansas State. Baylor currently ranks 19th in the nation with 225.5 rushing yards per game; 298.0 yards on the ground over last five games. Since being inserted into the starting lineup, RB Lache Seastrunk has average 138.6 yards per game, with five TDs over the last five games. Seastrunk's 185 yards rushing vs. Kansas State are the most by a Baylor running back since Terrance Ganaway ran for 200 yards in 2011 Alamo Bowl vs. Washington and 12th most in school history. Glasco Martin has combined with Seastrunk for a nice one, two punch in the Baylor backfield. Martin, averaging 96.4 yards rushing a game over last five games, has a team-high 12 TDs on the ground, including a career-high three rushing scores vs. Kansas State.

STORY LINES• Baylor and UCLA will meet for the 1st time in the 35th annual Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl. • Baylor is appearing in its 3rd straight bowl game for the 1st time in school history. • Baylor is 9-9 in 18 previous bowl appearances. • Baylor has never played in a bowl game in the state of California. • Baylor has scored on 49 percent of its possessions (3rd in FBS) and have just 15 three-and-outs, the fewest in the FBS. • Baylor has never had more than two three-and-outs in a game this season. • Baylor is 10-1 in the months of November and December over last 2 seasons. • Head Coach Art Briles will make his sixth bowl appearance as head coach; he was 0-3 in three bowl trips as Houston head coach and 1-1 as Baylor's head coach. • Baylor has tallied 7+ wins for 3rd straight seasons for 1st time since 1949-50-51. • Baylor has scored on its opening offensive drive in 7-of-12 games this season. • Baylor has 53 plays longer than 30 yards, the most in FBS. • Baylor's high-octane offense ranks 1st in the nation in total offense (578.8 ypg), 3rd in passing (353.3 ypg) and 5th in scoring (44.1 ppg). • In its last 5 games, Baylor offense is averaging 297.4 rushing yards (17 TDs) and 293.6 passing yards (9 TDs). • Baylor is 10-1 during Nov. & Dec. over last 2 years. • Baylor is 1 of 4 FBS schools averaging 300-plus passing yards and 200-plus rushing yards this season (Louisiana Tech, Oklahoma State and Texas A&M). • Baylor's rushing offense ranks 1st in Big 12 (225.5 ypg). • Baylor has 4 players with at least 400 yards rushing this season; 1st time since 1994. • WR Terrance Williams leads nation with 147.0 receiving yards per game. • Williams continues to add to his single-season receiving record with 1,764 yards. • Williams ranks 1st on the Baylor-career chart with 4,625 career all-purpose yards. • Williams is 15 yards shy of entering NCAA single-season Top 10 receiving yards list. • Williams leads the nation with 26 catches for 20 or more yards. • QB Nick Florence leads nation in total offense (387.7 ypg) and ranks 3rd in passing yards (343.4 ypg). • Florence ranks 6th nationally in points responsible for with 20.2 points per game and 2nd all-time on Baylor's single-season TD responsibility list (40), trailing only Robert Griffin III (47). • Florence ranks 2nd in single-season (4,121 yds) and 2nd in Baylor history in career (6,113 yds) passing yards. • After 11 points vs. Oklahoma State, K Aaron Jones passed his own school-record of 105 points by a kicker in a single season (112).

QUICK HITS• The Baylor offense is climbing its way up the single-season record books. BU has amassed 6,945 yards of total offense (2nd all-time), 4,239 passing yards (2nd), 32 passing TDs (2nd), 33 rushing TDs (2nd) and 284 pass completions (5th). • Over the last 7 games, BU has come out of halftime strong - outscoring opponents 76-41 in the 3rd quarter. • Baylor is 6-2 this season when outrushing its opponent. • BU's offense has converted 50% or higher 3rd-Down conversions in 4 straight games (3-1 record). • Baylor is now 15-2 when forcing 2+ turnovers during DC Phil Bennett's 2 season (won 1st 11 such games during Bennett's tenure, 4-2 since). • After forcing 0 turnovers during first 3 Big 12 games, Baylor has forced 15 (12 INTs, 3 fumbles) turnovers in last 6 conference games. • Baylor has totaled 9 1-play TD drives this season (16 TD drives of 3 plays or fewer). • Baylor has lost 0 fumbles over last 6 games and in 9-of-12 this season. • Baylor's defense ranks t10th nationally in interceptions (18) and has totaled 8 picks in the last 3 games. • Baylor's quick-strike offense has scored 20 TDs on drives of one minute or less (40 of 2:00 or less). • Baylor is 4-1 this season when recording 2 or more sacks. • Baylor is 20-for-28 on 4th-down conversions this season, 7th-best nationally among teams with more than 10 attempts (20 successful conversions leads the Big 12). • Baylor ranks 14th nationally and 1st in Big 12 holding opponents to just 31.8% on 4th down conversions (7-of-22). • Baylor has gained 500+ yards in 10 of 12 games this year. • Baylor has scored 30+ points in 17 of its last 19 games. • WR Terrance Williams is 3 TDs (27) away from tying former Baylor All-American Kendall Wright for Baylor's all-time receiving TDs record (30). • 9 different Baylor players have recorded an interception this season, including Eddie Lackey (4), Joe Williams (3), Ahmad Dixon (2), Sam Holl (2), Mike Hicks (2), Demetri Goodson, Darius Jones, K.J. Morton and Rodney Chadwick. • LB Bryce Hager leads the Big 12 with 9.6 tackles per game, while LB Eddie Lackey (8.2) and NB Ahmad Dixon both rank 4th (8.2). • Dixon will wear No. 26 for the rest of the season in honor of injured senior LB Rodney Chadwick. • WR Lanear Sampson has current reception streak of 42 straight games, the 2nd-longest active streak nationally. • QB Nick Florence ranks 2nd on Baylor's single-season passing yards list (4,121), 3rd in completions (276), 2nd in total offense (4,652) and 2nd in TD responsibility (40). • Florence ranks 2nd in career (48) in TD responsibility. • Florence has an FBS-best 19 touchdown passes longer than 20 yards, and he's thrown at least two in seven of 12 games this year. Last year, Robert Griffin III had 22 touchdown passes of at least 20 yards. • RB Glasco Martin ranks tied for 4th in single-season rushing TDs (12) and just outside the top 10 in single-season rushing mark with 791 rushing yards this season.